Wilko's Dark Velvet Stout

[Ravabelli]

I kicked off the velvet stout last Monday 25/8.

Added half a kilo of dry dark malt extract and a kilo of dextrose.

Made up to 19 litres, OG about 1050.

Fermenting Temp was around 23c.

By this Monday 1/9 it had dropped to 1011, so bottled and primed with total of 90g black treacle.

Kit says to leave bottles in warm for just 2 days but I'm not planning on moving it until Saturday morning and it's at 22c, hope no bombs! using strong flip top bottles.

I'll post when its drinkable, from sip at bottling it seems promising.:drink:

 

[stan]

started another today 2 cans of stout, 500g med spray malt, 500g golden syrup brewed to 20L sg 1.056 for secondary i have 150g of cacao nibs and 2 vanilla pods that have been soaked in 1/4 bottle of vodka for 4 weeks going to leave this in secondary for 10 days. hoping to have a nice chocolate stout for Christmas ??:thumb:

 

[Slid]

Two of these brewed with both yeasts and 1kg of table / brown or brewing sugar, just does it.

Big krausen at first. But this is the easiest, lowest price entry to unbeatable homebrew. Courtesy of the Wilko sale that prices 2x Velvet Stout at £15.

As unbelievable as Edinburgh beating Munster at rugby. LOL:-D

 

[magoorty]

Two of these brewed with both yeasts and 1kg of table / brown or brewing sugar, just does it.

Think I might give this a go. The St. Peter's Stout went down well last xmas so I think it's about time to get some on for this year.
Just wondering, why the extra sugar when using 2 cans?

 

[Slid]

Think I might give this a go. The St. Peter's Stout went down well last xmas so I think it's about time to get some on for this year.
Just wondering, why the extra sugar when using 2 cans?

You can push it out to 6 gallons or 27L, which yields 50 bottles, and extra ABV without making it taste thin. Stout goes well with cider IMO and using 2 cans gives very good colour when added 1:1 with cider or 1:4 with a paler homebrew.

Plus I've never been a fan of a heavy tasting beer.

 

[Sheffield]

Two of these brewed with both yeasts and 1kg of table / brown or brewing sugar, just does it.

Big krausen at first. But this is the easiest, lowest price entry to unbeatable homebrew. Courtesy of the Wilko sale that prices 2x Velvet Stout at £15.

First day into this brew with two cans, and there is plenty of activity going on in the FV.

 

[Smileyr8]

First day into this brew with two cans, and there is plenty of activity going on in the FV.

Did you take OG readings, let us know where it started/finishes, did you brew to full length?

 

[Sheffield]

Did you take OG readings, let us know where it started/finishes, did you brew to full length?

No, I didn't take any readings. I'm new to brewing, but my brews have turned out really well.

I have bought a hydrometer and a thermometer this week, and I will take readings next weekend when I brew again.

Up to present, I've got 4 (23 litre) brews in the FV's. 3 bottled, and I've drunk 3.

 

[Smileyr8]

Up to present, I've got 4 (23 litre) brews in the FV's. 3 bottled, and I've drunk 3.

Jeez new to brewing but doing it in a big way, 92 litres in fermenting vessels, do you live alone, it must be like a full time job? I doubt I would be able to get away with that, I try to keep one on the go all the time and that is too many for my missus.

Keep us posted on how you go.
:thumb:

 

[Slid]

First day into this brew with two cans, and there is plenty of activity going on in the FV.

I never take OG readings, only maybe doing an FG reading at the end. If you did the brew with 2 cans and added sugar to taste (LOL) it will be good and it will be the ABV it turns out at.

If you tell us what went in, how many liters and an FG reading, no problem with guessing ABV.

 

[Sheffield]

I never take OG readings, only maybe doing an FG reading at the end. If you did the brew with 2 cans and added sugar to taste (LOL) it will be good and it will be the ABV it turns out at.

If you tell us what went in, how many liters and an FG reading, no problem with guessing ABV.

I meant to take a FG reading, but forgot as I was bottling up two brews today. This and a Woodfords Real Ale, but will feedback when I take up the first bottle.

 

[magoorty]

Just put a tin of this on to brew with added treacle and cocoa powder.
To those who have added cocoa powder too, how is the carbonation and head retention? Since brewing up I've read the fat content of the powder can knacker it. Bit worried now.

Cheers

 

[Joeyriles]

As far as the cocoa powder goes: I haven't found this to be a problem in terms of head retention at all. I did use the baking cocoa, however. This one apparently is less susceptible to ruining your beer's head retention.

I brewed with treacle and sugar and DME as well as the cocoa. Result: lovely, smooth chocolatey stout. :drink:

 

[magoorty]

That's good to hear. I used:

1 tin of Wilkos Stout
225g Cocoa Powder
400g (ish) Treacle
1kg Medium DME

Brewed to 23 litres. Smelling quite lovely so fingers crossed.

 

[Pezza24]

Popped to Wilko to pick up an online order and one of these followed me out of the store (I did pay for it)

Planning on brewing short to 20L
500g Brewing Sugar
1 tin Black Treacle
150g Cocoa Powder

Possibly 250g Demerara sugar.

What do people think? I want the chocolatey notes but i dont want the treacle to make it overpowering.

This will only be my 2nd brew so i might be being way too adventurous.

 

[belcher]

Popped to Wilko to pick up an online order and one of these followed me out of the store (I did pay for it)

Planning on brewing short to 20L
500g Brewing Sugar
1 tin Black Treacle
150g Cocoa Powder

Possibly 250g Demerara sugar.

What do people think? I want the chocolatey notes but i dont want the treacle to make it overpowering.

This will only be my 2nd brew so i might be being way too adventurous.

A couple of things. These are my opinions. I'm no expert but this is what I'd do based on reading these forums as well as doing my own brews.

i) I always brew short these 1.5 kg kits down to 18 liters. Many people brew the Coopers kits to 20L and those kits are 10-15% heavier at 1.7 kg.

ii) I would halve the treacle that you are planning to use. I haven't used treacle but nearly without exception I've read a full tin is too overpowering.

iii) I only drink 1-2 brews a night so I like to have my beers between 5-6% so I would bump up the additional sugar to 1kg. But I'd use Brew Kit enhancer (BKE) (on sale at Tesco for £3.75, which they will deliver to a local store for free) to give the beer more body. BKE is 50% dextrose and 50% spray malt.

This is what I'd do. I'm sure some other brewers can offer more input.

 

[Ravabelli]

Popped to Wilko to pick up an online order and one of these followed me out of the store (I did pay for it)

Planning on brewing short to 20L
500g Brewing Sugar
1 tin Black Treacle
150g Cocoa Powder

Possibly 250g Demerara sugar.

What do people think? I want the chocolatey notes but i dont want the treacle to make it overpowering.

This will only be my 2nd brew so i might be being way too adventurous.

Hi Pezza

I've just started drinking mine now (see my post last page) and it's worked out really nice, proper stout taste.

Not that far different to Belcher above. Agree with belcher on treacle - I can really taste difference 120g has made and it seems about right.

I added half a kilo of dark spray malt and a kilo of dextrose to the kit.

Made up to just 19 litres, got an OG of about 1050.

I primed with about 125g of black treacle.

Hope this helps fella, I will defo make this again.

 

[Ben-Harrison]

I have this next to do, i have as follows to mix it up a bit

1 x can of Wilko Velvet Stout
1 x can of Geordie Winter Warmer Dark Ale
500g of Dark Malt Extract
100g of cocao powder
100-200g of Crushed Chocolate Malt (going to cold steep but unsure on amount yet)
2 x vanilla pods to split and boil up with Chocolate malt and 1 Vanilla pod to put in priming sugar to infuse it.

Cant wait to see what this one turns out like!

 

[Slid]

I have this next to do, i have as follows to mix it up a bit

1 x can of Wilko Velvet Stout
1 x can of Geordie Winter Warmer Dark Ale
500g of Dark Malt Extract
100g of cocao powder
100-200g of Crushed Chocolate Malt (going to cold steep but unsure on amount yet)
2 x vanilla pods to split and boil up with Chocolate malt and 1 Vanilla pod to put in priming sugar to infuse it.

Cant wait to see what this one turns out like!

I would suggest using 200g Chocolate Malt and boiling the steeped liquid, as you suggest. Would not use the cocoa powder as 200g Chocolate malt will give you what you want. Maybe use for hot chocolate.

This will be about as good as kit brewing gets, IMO. Good Luck!

 

[Ben-Harrison]

I would suggest using 200g Chocolate Malt and boiling the steeped liquid, as you suggest. Would not use the cocoa powder as 200g Chocolate malt will give you what you want. Maybe use for hot chocolate.

This will be about as good as kit brewing gets, IMO. Good Luck!

Well I started this on Friday evening and used

1 x velvet stout tin
1 x Geordie Winter Warmer tin
500g Dark DME
1k of Light Spraymalt
50g organic cacao powder
200g of Crushed Chocolate Malt cold steeped

Used velvet stout yeast and also a packet of safale s-04

Starting SG was 1068

Cant wait to see how this turns out :thumb: